seems that your new wife has changed you already. Are those stripes?”
Suran growled low in his throat, took Maddy’s hand and pressed it to his lips. “She wears my marks and I wear hers.”
“Fair enough. We are meeting at the Western palace.”
Suran nodded and lifted Maddy in his arms. “We will meet you there.”
The air disappeared for a moment, and the next, they were standing in a pristine chamber lined with white marble and subtle gold veining in the stone.
Maddy whispered, “So, we are supposed to be security for Larion?”
The king appeared in the room, and he sighed in relief. “Thank you for doing this, Suran. I know you needed more time.”
Maddy laughed out loud, and it echoed in the chamber. Larion looked at her in surprise.
Suran grinned. “Madeline understands the call of duty for friends and family. She will observe and learn what the fey court entails.”
Chapter Nine
Pretentious snotbag was Maddy’s first impression of the emissary.
Madeline stood at Suran’s right hand and watched the verbal fencing between Larion and the brunette fey with golden eyes.
Prince Emertian expressed his contempt for the fey-shifter project and decreed it to be an abomination.
Suran tensed when he heard that, and suddenly, Maddy knew why Larion needed them here. Other couples around the room moved close together and held hands while glaring at Emertian.
Larion asked, “Why do you object to us mixing with shifters?”
“They are base animals. Our magic isn’t even compatible with theirs. We are the hot iron, and they are the drop of water skittering and fizzing at our touch.” Emertian sniffed in disdain.
“What if I told you that we have not only had one successful mating, we have had several successes and two blended children so far?” Larion smirked.
“They cannot possibly be true fey.”
“They are not, but they are powerful, even as infants.”
Maddy was surprised that it had been going on long enough to produce children. She scanned the crowd, and there were a few couples that smiled at each other with smug satisfaction.
With her new senses, she could see the fey, and a few were a strange combination. She looked at her hands and saw the same combination of energy with a slightly different tinge. She counted a dozen from her vantage point on the steps.
Several had a powerful and vibrant connection, others were more tepid, but all were focused on the partner standing next to them. The balance was very visible.
She smiled and listened to the pompous ass tell Larion how it couldn’t possibly work.
Finally, Larion called a halt to the proceedings and offered his guest some refreshment.
Suran followed Larion as he exited the audience room with the prince, and Madeline was in tow. Cocktails were served, and she stayed as far from the prince as she could. There was something unwholesome in the way he looked at her.
A woman nudged her. “Hello. You seem fairly new to this.”
Maddy laughed. “Can you tell?”
“It is just that I had that same messed-up look when I balanced with my mate.” The woman stuck out her hand. “My name is Yval. My husband the other darkly pigmented dude in the room.”
Maddy blinked. “Is he also a djinn?”
Yval shook her head. “No, just standard fey. Forest, I think.” She patted her belly. “I don’t know if it is a girl or a boy, but it is going to have one heckuva family tree.”
“What is your beast?”
Yval grinned. “Tasmanian devil. It still gets the better of him at mealtimes.”
Maddy covered her mouth, and she giggled. Suran’s tiger came out in bed. He had finally gotten the hang of the biting of her neck during sex, and it had definitely managed to speed things along.
Yval was smiling knowingly. “I am guessing that there have been a few characteristics from your beast that he has exhibited.”
Maddy was going to answer her, but Prince Emertian sidled up to her, reaching for her hand. Not knowing what to do,
Suran growled low in his throat, took Maddy’s hand and pressed it to his lips. “She wears my marks and I wear hers.”
“Fair enough. We are meeting at the Western palace.”
Suran nodded and lifted Maddy in his arms. “We will meet you there.”
The air disappeared for a moment, and the next, they were standing in a pristine chamber lined with white marble and subtle gold veining in the stone.
Maddy whispered, “So, we are supposed to be security for Larion?”
The king appeared in the room, and he sighed in relief. “Thank you for doing this, Suran. I know you needed more time.”
Maddy laughed out loud, and it echoed in the chamber. Larion looked at her in surprise.
Suran grinned. “Madeline understands the call of duty for friends and family. She will observe and learn what the fey court entails.”
Chapter Nine
Pretentious snotbag was Maddy’s first impression of the emissary.
Madeline stood at Suran’s right hand and watched the verbal fencing between Larion and the brunette fey with golden eyes.
Prince Emertian expressed his contempt for the fey-shifter project and decreed it to be an abomination.
Suran tensed when he heard that, and suddenly, Maddy knew why Larion needed them here. Other couples around the room moved close together and held hands while glaring at Emertian.
Larion asked, “Why do you object to us mixing with shifters?”
“They are base animals. Our magic isn’t even compatible with theirs. We are the hot iron, and they are the drop of water skittering and fizzing at our touch.” Emertian sniffed in disdain.
“What if I told you that we have not only had one successful mating, we have had several successes and two blended children so far?” Larion smirked.
“They cannot possibly be true fey.”
“They are not, but they are powerful, even as infants.”
Maddy was surprised that it had been going on long enough to produce children. She scanned the crowd, and there were a few couples that smiled at each other with smug satisfaction.
With her new senses, she could see the fey, and a few were a strange combination. She looked at her hands and saw the same combination of energy with a slightly different tinge. She counted a dozen from her vantage point on the steps.
Several had a powerful and vibrant connection, others were more tepid, but all were focused on the partner standing next to them. The balance was very visible.
She smiled and listened to the pompous ass tell Larion how it couldn’t possibly work.
Finally, Larion called a halt to the proceedings and offered his guest some refreshment.
Suran followed Larion as he exited the audience room with the prince, and Madeline was in tow. Cocktails were served, and she stayed as far from the prince as she could. There was something unwholesome in the way he looked at her.
A woman nudged her. “Hello. You seem fairly new to this.”
Maddy laughed. “Can you tell?”
“It is just that I had that same messed-up look when I balanced with my mate.” The woman stuck out her hand. “My name is Yval. My husband the other darkly pigmented dude in the room.”
Maddy blinked. “Is he also a djinn?”
Yval shook her head. “No, just standard fey. Forest, I think.” She patted her belly. “I don’t know if it is a girl or a boy, but it is going to have one heckuva family tree.”
“What is your beast?”
Yval grinned. “Tasmanian devil. It still gets the better of him at mealtimes.”
Maddy covered her mouth, and she giggled. Suran’s tiger came out in bed. He had finally gotten the hang of the biting of her neck during sex, and it had definitely managed to speed things along.
Yval was smiling knowingly. “I am guessing that there have been a few characteristics from your beast that he has exhibited.”
Maddy was going to answer her, but Prince Emertian sidled up to her, reaching for her hand. Not knowing what to do,
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